Camera control device

• US 8,085,298 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2005
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Security Video Camera Systems Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishigami, Tomohide, Maruya, Kensuke, Okada, Susumu
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Application Number:
  US11/571,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20080186379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,365 Days
• Field of Search: 709/116, 709/211.11, 709/207.99, 709/208.4, 709/211.99, 348 47- 48, 348/116, 348/211.11, 348/207.99, 348/208.4, 348/211.99
• US Class Current: 348/116
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19641 Multiple cameras having overlapping views on a single scene
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19682 Graphic User Interface [GUI] presenting system data to the user, e.g. information on a screen helping a user interacting with an alarm system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19689 Remote control of cameras, e.g. remote orientation or image zooming control for a PTZ camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19691 Signalling events for better perception by user, e.g. indicating alarms by making display brighter, adding text, creating a sound
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A camera control device capable of easily performing control even if more than one camera is provided. A common operation section performs a map operation and a camera operation with the same operation device. An operation management section switches between the map operation and the camera operation depending on the scale (display magnification) of a map and the imaging magnification of a camera to be operated. To perform the map operation, the operation management section sends an operation signal to a map control section, and to perform the camera operation, it sends an operation signal to a camera control section.

Claims

1. A camera control device, comprising:

a plurality of cameras;

a camera controller that controls the plurality of cameras and transfers image data from the plurality of cameras;

a map controller that controls and transmits map data indicating installation positions of the plurality of cameras;

an operation manager that automatically switches, according to a predetermined condition, between a camera operation for instructing a change of a shooting magnification of the plurality of cameras and a map operation for instructing a change of a display magnification of the map data;

a common operator that performs the map operation and the camera operation; and

a display that displays the image data transmitted from the camera controller and the map data transmitted from the map controller, wherein;

the common operator comprises a first operator and a second operator;

the first operator performs decreasing the shooting magnification in the camera operation and decreasing the display magnification in the map operation; and

the second operator performs increasing the shooting magnification in the camera operation and increasing the display magnification in the map operation.

2. The camera control device according to claim 1, wherein the operation manager switches between the camera operation and the map operation corresponding to the shooting magnification of an operation target camera targeted for the camera operation and the display magnification of the map data.

3. The camera control device according to claim 1, wherein the operation manager switches between the camera operation and the map operation corresponding to a number of icons indicating installation positions of cameras existing within an area displaying the map data on a screen of the display.

4. The camera control device according to claim 1, wherein the operation manager switches between the camera operation and the map operation corresponding to a display position of the map data and a scale of a map.

5. The camera control device according to claim 1, wherein the operation manager stores the time of operation by the common operator, and switches between the camera operation and the map operation corresponding to the operation time.

6. The camera control device according to claim 1, wherein the operation manager stores operation procedures of the common operator, and switches between the camera operation and the map operation corresponding to the operation procedures.

7. The camera control device according to claim 1, wherein the operation manager includes a section that transmits an operation mode signal for distinguishing between the map operation and the camera operation, and

the camera control device further has a display switch which switches between the image data transmitted from the camera controller and the map data transmitted from the map controller corresponding to the operation mode signal, and which displays one of the image data and the map data in the display.

8. The camera control device according to claim 7, further comprising:

an operation signal transmitter that transmits the operation signal input from the common operator;

an operation signal receiver that receives the operation signal to transmit to the operation manager;

an image signal transmitter that transmits the image data input from the display switch as an image signal; and

an image signal receiver that receives the image signal to transmit to the display,

wherein the common operator, the display, the operation signal transmitter, and the image signal receiver are provided in a single terminal device.

9. The camera control device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display controller that reduces the image data transmitted from the camera controller to superimpose and display on the map data transmitted from the map controller.

10. The camera control device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an alarm detector that detects an alarm signal from each of various sensors,

wherein the operation manager switches between the camera operation and the map operation corresponding to the alarm signal detected by the alarm detector.

11. The camera control device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a state manager that manages a purchase state of a product within a range shot by a camera,

wherein the operation manager switches between the camera operation, the map operation and state management operation for instructing the purchase state of the product in the range shot by the camera corresponding to a state signal from the state manager.

12. The camera control device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a state manager that manages a state of a device within a range shot by a camera,

wherein the operation manager switches between the camera operation, the map operation and state management operation for instructing a state of the device in the range shot by the camera corresponding to a state signal from the state manager.

13. A camera control device, comprising:

a plurality of cameras;

a camera controller that controls the plurality of cameras and transfers image data from the plurality of cameras;

a map controller that controls and transmits map data indicating installation positions of the plurality of cameras;

an operation manager that switches between camera operation for instructing operation conditions of the plurality of cameras and map operation for instructing a display condition of the map data;

a common operator that performs the map operation and the camera operation; and

a display that displays the image data transmitted from the camera controller and the map data transmitted from the map controller,

wherein the operation manager includes a section that transmits an operation mode signal for distinguishing between the map operation and the camera operation, and

the camera control device further has a display switch which switches between the image data transmitted from the camera controller and the map data transmitted from the map controller corresponding to the operation mode signal, and which displays one of the image data and the map data in the display.

14. The camera control device according to claim 13, further comprising:

an operation signal transmitter that transmits the operation signal input from the common operator;

an operation signal receiver that receives the operation signal to transmit to the operation manager;

an image signal transmitter that transmits the image data input from the display switch as an image signal; and

an image signal receiver that receives the image signal to transmit to the display,

wherein the common operator, the display, the operation signal transmitter, and the image signal receiver are provided in a single terminal device.

15. A camera control device, comprising:

a plurality of cameras;

a camera controller that controls the plurality of cameras and transfers image data from the plurality of cameras;

a map controller that controls and transmits map data indicating installation positions of the plurality of cameras;

an operation manager that switches between camera operation for instructing operation conditions of the plurality of cameras and map operation for instructing a display condition of the map data;

a common operator that performs the map operation and the camera operation;

a display that displays the image data transmitted from the camera controller and the map data transmitted from the map controller; and

an alarm detector that detects an alarm signal from each of various sensors,

wherein the operation manager switches between the camera operation and the map operation corresponding to the alarm signal detected by the alarm detector.